Chapter 2: The Long-Awaited Cooking Contest
We departed from the capital of the Belioth Kingdom a few days ago.
Without any issues, we passed through the border inspection and set foot on the lands of the Kranzel Kingdom.
『It's been a while since we were in Kranzel Kingdom.』
「Nn.」
We should have returned earlier, but the final confirmation of the request we received in the Belioth Kingdom and some shopping in the capital took a few days.
However, thanks to that, we were able to replenish some of the potions we had used up, and we also procured ingredients. Fran would probably be pleased, and I could make a lot of the special Mabo Curry that I taught to the academy.
It was worth taking the time to explore the capital of the Belioth Kingdom. Well, the most time-consuming part was probably Fran and Urushi's eating spree. Between shopping, we visited almost all the famous restaurants.
『It feels somewhat nostalgic to cross the border, even though we've only just done that.』
Perhaps it's because this is the first place I landed when I came to this world, but I feel strangely nostalgic here. For me as well, this country holds a special place.
However, Fran, as if completely indifferent to my sentimentality, immediately mounted Urushi's back the moment we crossed the border. She pointed south firmly.
「Urushi, hurry. We're short on time.」
「Woof!」
Urushi responded to Fran's words and began to sprint at full speed. Fran, as well as Urushi, had a serious expression. They seemed somewhat anxious.
To express that anxiety, Fran and Urushi's journey became a forced march. They didn't rest even during the times they would usually take a break, and they continued in a straight line while replenishing their stamina with magic. They even ate while running. If Urushi got tired, Fran would continue running on her own.
Our current destination was Alessa.
Since we were getting close, it was a good idea to pay our respects to Klimt and Amanda.
However, the true destination was Bulbora.
If we hurried, we might make it in time for the cooking contest. While it would be difficult to participate, Fran and Urushi's goal was to indulge in street food during the festival, so making it in time for the event would suffice.
To achieve that, they were determined to push their limits. They were willing to do whatever it took to indulge in the food at the cooking contest, even if their legs were about to break.
「Even if my legs break, I'll make it to the food stalls for sure!」
「Woof!」
It was quite typical of Fran and the others to go to such lengths for their appetite instead of a battle.
But Fran and the others worked harder than I had imagined. While they didn't break any bones, they were physically exhausted and looked like they were about to collapse. And yet, in just three hours, they had reached Alessa.
Before gaining experience in Belioth, it might have taken them at least four hours even if they pushed themselves hard. I hope they won't let the experience of that intense battle go to waste. No, it's a sign of growth.
Upon arriving in Alessa, Fran casually greeted Donadrond and others who had taken care of her before, and then she exchanged information with Klimt at the Adventurer's Guild. After a brief rest, she bid farewell to Klimt. Klimt seemed surprised by their forced march, too.
「Are you leaving already?」
「Nn.」
「Amanda-san will probably return in another half month. Won't you wait for her?」
「That won't make it in time.」
For the cooking contest.
「Was she on a mission?」
By the way, Amanda was said to be away from Alessa for reconnaissance at the northern border.
The ominous magical power released by the Greater Magic Beast seemed to have reached various places, and it was even detected in the Kranzel Kingdom. Consequently, many adventurers were given the task of border reconnaissance.
The information about the Greater Magic Beast incident that we provided was greatly appreciated by the guild. Oh, we need to keep the things we should keep secret under wraps, right?
On the other hand, Klimt obtained information about spirit magic and Dimitris.
There wasn't much new information regarding spirit magic, but there were various interesting stories about Dimitris.
There are countless stories of daring exploits attributed to him, such as single-handedly quelling a Goblin stampede, infiltrating an enemy kingdom's castle during a war to capture the enemy king, and taking a position on a bridge in the center of which he defended without moving for three days and nights against invading enemy forces. Although he's said to have calmed down recently, he's probably not what you'd call a typical kindly old man. He still claims to be in the midst of his training and continues to hunt magical beasts in various locations.
We heard some interesting information as well, so it was good to come back to this town even for a short period.
As we prepare to leave in front of the gate, there are soldiers and adventurers waving goodbye. They must remember Fran. Fran waves back.
『Yeah, it's a good town. Should we stay here for a bit longer?』
「Alessa is a place we can return to.」
Fran says it casually, but I'm just a little bit happy to hear those words.
For Fran too, this must be one of the places she can come back to. That's why, even if she leaves right away, it's not lonely. Because she can come back anytime. She's confident that she'll be accepted whenever she returns.
「Well then, let's go.」
「Woof woof!」
「Yeah... I can already imagine Amanda-san, who found out I met Fran-san, complaining like crazy...」
Sorry, Klimt. Even I can't stop Fran and the others when they're hungry.
Say hi to Amanda!
『So, we're almost at Bulbora. That was fast.』
「Nn. We did our best.」
「Woof!」
Thanks to the determination of these two when it comes to food, we've traveled surprisingly quickly through the Kranzel Kingdom.
Urushi didn't run through towns close by because it might cause alarm, so we took a meandering route to avoid towns. Nevertheless, we managed to reach Bulbora from the northern border in just four days.
For an ordinary traveler, this journey would have taken over a month.
The power of appetite is truly remarkable!
What surprised me in particular was that we managed to traverse the steep mountainous terrain in the central part of the country in just one day.
The mountainous terrain disrupted the airflow, making it impossible for even Urushi to pass through the sky. Well, we did try it once, but we couldn't maintain altitude and almost crashed.
As a result, we had no choice but to climb the mountains the old-fashioned way.
These mountains were probably even higher and more rugged than Mount Fuji. Maybe even more challenging than the Himalayas? In this world, such mountains are commonplace.
However, Fran didn't let the cold, low oxygen levels, or treacherous terrain faze her. She sometimes used mid-air leaps to traverse cliffs, crawled out of crevasses when she fell into them, and made her way through the mountain range in a straight line.
Even when it snowed so heavily that she couldn't use mid-air leaps, she pressed on without rest, using barriers to navigate and resorting to rock climbing. Her outfit with the exposed midriff looked cold just to watch.
When I see such displays of physical prowess that could rival Earth's superhumans, I'm reminded once again of how extraordinary the people in this world are.
Moreover, some quite powerful magical beasts appeared, but they couldn't stop Fran and Urushi's momentum. In fact, we enjoyed some tasty meals during our brief breaks. Due to their abundant magical power, the dishes seemed to taste exceptionally good. Urushi, in particular, was clearly on the lookout for magical beasts. Well, when it comes to me, their meat would make for the finest cuisine!
We also prepared various other dishes, but it seems I got a bit carried away in the snowy mountains. I ended up making over ten new dishes.
One of the dishes that received particularly high praise was the smoothie made from snow strawberries and glacier ice we found atop the snowy mountain. Drinking the snow strawberry smoothie in the makeshift igloo heated with magic was apparently quite delightful.
It's been a while since I've seen Fran get so excited about something other than curry. She spent a few hours collecting snow strawberries in abundance. With a stockpile of glacier ice, we can make smoothies to our heart's content. Aside from the harvest, I acquired several new skills too.
Snow Running, Snow Diving, and Snow Swimming are the three of them. They're skills that assist in actions within snowy environments. While they can only be used in limited situations, they'll surely come in handy when the time comes.
My favorite among them is Snow Swimming. It allows me to swim through the snow as if I were underwater. When Fran uses it, her body quickly chills, but that's not a concern for an inorganic entity like me.
『Now, shall we head to the Cooking Guild?』
「Nn!」
「Woof!」
Having reached the nostalgic town of Bulbora, we headed straight for the Cooking Guild.
We can't enter the contest since it has already begun, but it's essential to greet the participants from last year. Plus, if we get information from the participants, we can efficiently visit delicious food stalls.
「Oh! Is it Fran-sama from Kuroshippo-tei!」
「Nn.」
「Please come this way!」
When we entered and introduced ourselves, we were immediately ushered to the back. This is probably the only place where Fran is treated as an expert chef who introduced curry to Bulbora, rather than an adventurer.
In a slightly luxurious private room, an elderly man was waiting.
「Young lady. You've come well.」
「Nn. Came.」
It's Meccam, the gourmet critic who helped us out last year. I don't mind the aura of a stubborn old man character you'd see in gourmet manga. Well, I'm the only one who thinks we're indebted to him; Fran sees him as more of a rival. You can tell just by looking at Fran's fearless expression as she faces Meccam.
We should have recognized each other somewhat during the last cooking contest... But neither of them is the type to quickly warm up to others, so it's probably inevitable that things have turned out this way.
If the Cooking Guild staff standing beside us hadn't intervened, we would have likely continued with the tense atmosphere. Then, as the conversation progressed, we received a surprising proposal.
「Food stalls?」
「Yes. That's right. Actually, we've received a tremendous number of inquiries this year, asking if Kuroshippo-tei will be running a food stall, and I mean a tremendous number!」
We were asked by the staff if we could run a food stall, unrelated to the contest.
Our food stall, "Kuroshippo-tei," which we set up last year, became a legendary pioneer in curry cuisine stalls. It seems there has been a flood of inquiries this year asking if we won't be participating in the contest.
But what if Fran decided not to set up a stall and just indulged in buying food instead? The Cooking Guild would likely receive criticism.
「So, what do you say? We can be as flexible as possible with ingredients.」
Though he's using authoritative language, Meccam also has a somewhat pleading expression. There may be more inquiries than we expected.
（Master?）
『Well, I think it's fine if Fran wants to do it.』
Fran rushed to Bulbora because she wanted to enjoy buying food. If she wants to set up a stall even if it means reducing the time for buying food, then that's fine.
（Isn't making curry quite a challenge?）
『Don't worry about it. It should be fine. It seems they'll provide the ingredients this time, and I enjoy cooking.』
Additionally, curry is suitable for mass production. It wouldn't be too much hard work for me.
Fran nodded happily upon hearing that.
It seems that Fran prioritized setting up the stall for some reason. I remember her enjoying herself last year, but I didn't think she'd give up buying food to this extent.
「Nn. Set up stall.」
「Oh! Thank you very much!」
The staff member sighed in relief, genuinely relieved. They must have been in quite a bind. Sorry about that?
Meccam, the elderly man, remained expressionless as always and inquired about the stall's contents.
「Curry again this year?」
「Nn!」
「I see! I'm looking forward to it. In the year since then, there has been an explosive increase in curry restaurants here in Bulbora. The novelty advantage has worn off, you know?」
「Hehe. Master's curry isn't just any curry. It'll be fine.」
「I'm looking forward to it.」
「This year, I'll make my curry the best in the world! Curry is the ultimate!」
I see.
It seemed important to Fran that curry be popularized as well. She probably wants to make her favorite dish acknowledged by Meccam no matter what.
Honestly, I think Meccam already recognizes curry. He's just a tsundere and can't say it outright.
「Well, then, we'll prepare the location the day before the finals. If you have any requests for salespeople, we can arrange them here.」
「Got it.」
With that, we were once again involved in the festival as stall owners this year...
「Master, what kind of curry will you serve?」
『Huh? You didn't decide on it?』
I thought you had some ideas since you accepted so readily!
『We couldn't use last year's curry... 』
（No worries. You can do it, Master.）
『O-Okay.』
I didn't expect her to delegate the whole thing to me...
It's confirmed that it will be curry. Fran and the customers are looking forward to it, and there's no reason to make a different dish. However, I wanted to make it different from last year, if possible. Curry bread could be an option, but what about curry rice?
「Curry rice. It was a no-go last year.」
『Well, last year was different. But this year, it might work.』
Last year was a competition. We had to consider factors like profitability and sales numbers. But this year is different.
After all, our stall is unrelated to the main competition. It's more like an exhibition. We don't need to worry about profitability or anything like that.
「I see.」
『So, it means we don't need to worry about prices either! You can even make a super luxurious, profit-ignoring curry!』
In fact, dishes that disregard profitability might be even more appreciated.
「Then I'll make something incredible!」
『Oh, something incredible?』
「Nn. I'll use the best meat and sweet potatoes to make the ultimate curry. The kind that makes people unable to eat anything but curry!」
She casually said something terrifying.
But, that might be good too.
Since the end of last year, I've accumulated a tremendous amount of magic beast meat in places like the Demon Wolf Plains. There should be at least ten thousand servings of lower-tier magic beast meat alone.
I've been storing it for some reason, even though I had reservations about discarding anything edible. My stinginess might come in handy here!
The issue is probably the rice. Can we prepare a large amount in such a short time?
I thought about asking the Cooking Guild, and if we could get rice, we could go with curry rice.
That's what I was thinking, but...
『There's so little rice here...』
「Nn.」
Even after searching all over Bulbora, we couldn't find much rice. There was some, but a lot of it was old rice, and honestly, it didn't fit our purposes.
Originally, Belioth Kingdom was the largest exporter of rice. It had abundant water, and compared to Kranzel, it had a slightly colder climate, making it a major rice-producing region. It might be similar to the climate in the Tohoku region in Japan. Rice was readily available even at the Magic Academy.
However, the supply of rice from there had significantly decreased this month due to the aftermath of the Great Magic Beast Incident.
Belioth used its own unique method to preserve harvested rice, gradually exporting it each month. This method allowed them to provide high-quality rice and, in the event of any accidents in the country, they could halt exports to secure food. Last month, a major incident occurred, causing the export volume to decrease.
『We can't help it. Let's think of another way.』
「Nn.」
But, I want to avoid making the same old curry bread as last year. It would be boring.
「How about just making the curry roux?」
『Maybe... No, what about turning it into a soup?』
We'll make it into curry soup. It'll be rich and hearty, with plenty of meat.
「A curry soup with lots of meat.」
「Got it!」
Fran and Urushi's mouths are watering, with drool dripping from the corners. They can't contain themselves just from the imagination.
With the stamp of approval from the curry-loving duo and a plan in mind, shall we go with this?
**Side - A Certain Group of Three**
「Big Sis, is that the port city Bulbora over there?」
「Yeah, that's right. There aren't many ports of that size. It's definitely Bulbora.」
「We've finally arrived! Man, who knew a sea voyage could be so boring...」
「At first, it was you who was all excited, calling it an incredible adventure, not me, Biscot.」
「Klikka, you've also come up to the deck. Well, you know, it was exciting at first because everything was so new, but when you see the same scenery over and over again... Sibylla's big sis probably feels the same way, right?」
「I didn't mind, you know? There were quite a few sea magic beasts to keep things interesting.」
「Ah, no. I was a fool for asking satisfied Big Sis, who's content with just fighting.」
「Huh?」
「N-nothing! But if all we needed was to enter Kranzel, wouldn't it have been fine to go to Dars, the port town we visited first? We didn't have to come all the way to this southern town...」
「No, it wouldn't have been. Currently, the border area is heavily guarded. We don't want to cause any trouble.」
「Can't we just break through?」
「You fool! Honestly, you're such a Biscot!」
「Hey, you're using my name like it's synonymous with being foolish!」
「Listen carefully. Unlike our country, there are no supplies or reinforcements available outside. There's no place to escape even if we're pursued. If we cause a commotion, we'll be quickly trapped with no room to move. Do you understand? Furthermore, we don't even know the enemy's strength.」
「Enemy's strength? Those outsiders can't be much of a threat, can they?」
「Biscot.」
「Y-yes. What is it, Big Sis?」
「It's fine to look down on outsiders. It's like a characteristic of our country, and it won't change. However, stop underestimating the strength of an opponent you've never seen before. Do you intend to act like the fools in the upper echelons?」
「S-sorry.」
「Anyway, are we going to check that out now? Are those outsiders really weak? Or is it different?」
「Yeah.」
「In any case, the Demon Knights from Phyllius Kingdom are deployed in that area.」
「Ah, they're troublesome, huh? I see, we shouldn't act recklessly.」
「Hmph, just understand it. Now then, Sibylla Commander—no, Sibylla-sama. There are several ways to assess the strength of outsiders, especially adventurers.」
「Oh? What methods are there? With my thinking, I'd only come up with something like picking fights with random people around.」
「Please absolutely refrain from that. For now, we are treated as traveling mercenaries. Our family connections have secured our status, and we've relied on the Morley Company, which is under our jurisdiction. However, if we act carelessly, the reputation of this company, which has built up its achievements in Kranzel Kingdom over a long period, will plummet. For our country as well, the failure of this company would be a significant loss.」
「Foreign currency acquisition, information gathering, and infiltration work in such cases can be quite useful.」
「It seems you understand. Besides, the Morley Company is active outside our country, so they may not be particularly loyal to us. At worst, they might discard us. I once introduced some rejects from the Cardinal Flag Knights to them because they wanted escorts for their daughter, but I don't know how grateful they really are.」
「Hey, Klikka, is it really okay to rely on those guys? I don't want to be stuck with some cute maid.」
「As long as we don't do anything to harm them, there won't be any problems. Besides, with the firepower on this ship, the three of us can easily subdue them.」
「Well, that's true...」
「You're a fool, so just follow our instructions.」
「Grr.」
「Biscot, be quiet.」
「Yes...」
「So, you mentioned there are several ways to assess the strength of adventurers, right?」
「Yes. First, the conventional method is to issue a request. Even if we assign them as our escorts, we can closely observe their work. However, there are potential issues.」
「What kind of issues?」
「If the opponent's strength is relatively high, there's a risk of them seeing through our abilities. It's highly likely that they'll question why people of our level would request an escort.」
「I see.」
「Though it's somewhat indirect, another method is to check the quality of monster meat, herbs, and weapons available in towns and such. While it won't directly confirm their strength, it can serve as an indicator of their overall abilities. Fortunately, we're heading to the large city of Bulbora, which is a suitable place for investigation.」
「I understand, but I'd rather avoid doing the tedious investigation myself.」
「Me too. In that case, it's better if we just don't bother.」
「I'll handle the investigation.」
「Thank you. So, Klikka, do you have any other ideas? Your tone suggests there's more.」
「The next one is the main plan. There's going to be a martial arts tournament in a city called Ulmutt soon.」
「A martial arts tournament? Hmm, that sounds interesting! Strong fighters will be participating, right?」
「Yes, it seems that many famous adventurers will also participate in the tournament, so by watching it, we should get a good idea of their strength.」
「Watching? You mean we won't participate?」
「Please spare us. If our identities are revealed, it won't end well for us. We won't stand out too much.」
「Ugh...」
「Please don't make it so obvious that you're annoyed. Anyway, unlike us, Sibylla-sama will attract attention. If she participates, her background will definitely be investigated. You wouldn't want to intentionally lose, would you?」
「Sigh... I guess I'll just watch this time.」
「That would be best.」
「In that case, after taking a short break in Bulbora, we'll head to Ulmutt to watch the martial arts tournament, right?」
「If you both agree, that's the plan. I'll handle the details.」
「Alright, we're counting on you.」
「Hehe, while in Bulbora, I hope we can find some good liquor in the town.」
「I'd be happy if there were some ruffians to brawl with.」
「...Please, do not cause any trouble, okay?」
「Um, is the simmering of the vegetables alright like this?」
「Eat.」
＊
「...How is it?」
「Nn. Perfect.」
「That's good to hear.」
We were currently in the underground kitchen of the Cooking Guild. As expected from the headquarters of a guild based in a large city, the kitchen was nothing short of luxurious.
I might have seen a metal sink for the first time in this world. The stove, oven, and water facilities were equipped with a large number of magical devices, and the design was very practical and sophisticated.
At first glance, it looked like the kitchen of a high-end hotel on Earth.
In that kitchen, Fran and a woman were standing side by side, tasting the curry soup.
「Io, you're amazing.」
「Oh no, Fran-san's Master-san is the amazing one! Compared to the person who came up with such an incredible dish, I'm nothing!」
The woman accompanying Fran was Io, a natural genius cook, a somewhat unreliable but kind big sister to everyone.
Yesterday, we visited Io's orphanage and heard from Charlotte that she wouldn't be participating in the contest this year.
Previously, she had set up a stall to earn money for the orphanage's operating expenses. However, now she was under Amanda's protection, and the financial difficulties had been resolved.
Furthermore, the number of children had doubled over the past year, and they couldn't spare the time for contest preparations. It was all due to the incident caused by Linford and the others, which had increased the number of orphans.
So, this year, she had no plans to participate in the contest.
「I'd love to set up a shop if I could. Building relationships with the local residents is important.」
Upon hearing Io's words, we proposed the idea of helping her run a food stall.
It should be a win-win situation. Even if it's just for one day, we plan to pay a good wage. It would be a great help to have someone as skilled as Io assist us. Plus, we could fulfill one of the reasons for our previous stalls, which was to interact with the local people, even if to a lesser extent. After all, it's still a food stall.
In return, we would gain the best helper. She has a wide network and exceptional cooking skills. There couldn't be a better candidate.
It's truly a win-win situation.
Moreover, there was my selfish desire to see her cooking. While my cooking skill level was higher, it didn't necessarily mean I could make tastier dishes. Just like Fran's swordsmanship skill, rapidly increasing my skill level had its drawbacks. Compared to those who had developed their skills from scratch, I seemed to have neglected the basics of cooking.
Additionally, there were many areas where I lacked creativity. In my case, I excelled at reproducing Earth dishes and elevating their flavors.
However, when it came to dishes that originally existed in this world, I struggled to come up with creative variations. They weren't bad, and Fran was more than satisfied, but when I saw Io's or Felmus from the Dragon's Den's cooking... if someone were to ask if my skills matched my skill level, I would shake my head.
So, the plan was to work together with Io. If I could observe the process of her making an incredibly delicious soup with just vegetable scraps and salt, maybe I could learn something.
But what I learned was that hard work and dedication were the only way. I couldn't imitate a genius.
Knock, knock.
In the midst of this, a knock at the entrance to the kitchen echoed.
For now, it was off-limits to anyone other than those involved, under the pretense of trying out a new dish. However, it seemed that a guest had arrived.
「Who could it be?」
「Oh, is that you, Fran? It's Colbert. I heard you were in Bulbora!」
The one who arrived was Colbert, a Rank B adventurer who loved cooking and was a skilled martial artist. He was also a former disciple of Dimitris, whom we were about to visit.
（Should I let him in?）
『Yeah, that's fine. Even if he was expelled from Dimitris's school and lost his skills, he hasn't lost his memory of Dimitris. We might hear some useful information.』
I didn't really want to know about weaknesses or combat techniques. What I wanted to know were things like favorite foods, favorite colors, and any information that could help establish a friendly connection.
Colbert, who entered, had a tough and rugged appearance with short black hair and sun-kissed bronze skin. He still had that rugged vibe about him.
「Long time no see, Fran.」
「Mm.」
「You've gotten big.」
「Huh?」
Colbert, who had just entered, was acting strangely. For some reason, he had tears in the corners of his eyes as he firmly shook Fran's hand.
Hey, what's going on? Isn't he getting a bit too familiar? And the handshake! It's way too strong! Could it be... he's fallen for Fran? Well, Fran is incredibly cute, so maybe it's only natural... No! No, no, I can't entrust Fran to someone weaker than her! I need to get stronger than Fran and try again!
「I might not be able to replace Fran's Master-san, but while I'm in this town, you can rely on me for anything!」
「Huh?」
「Curry Master, your disciple has grown up splendidly!」
Ah, I think I understand why Colbert's enthusiasm is a bit off. He probably misunderstood that I was dead and intended to take my place in watching over Fran. He seems like the type to jump to conclusions and got excited on his own after seeing Fran.
「Master is alive.」
「Yeah, yeah, that's right.」
「...」
It's rare to see Fran looking exasperated.
『Would it be better to show yourself and clear up the misunderstanding?』
（...Not now.）
『Really? Is it okay?』
（Yeah. If I show myself now, it won't be about getting information anymore.）
『Oh, right. That might be true.』
Colbert would probably be happy if he knew the truth. However, I had a feeling that if he got too excited, his enthusiasm would become even more peculiar.
『Alright, we'll leave it for a little later then.』
（Mm.）
When Colbert was invited into the kitchen, he had a surprised look on his face.
「Io-dono from the orphanage? What brings you here?」
「Do you two know each other?」
「Um, who might you be?」
It seemed that Colbert knew Io, but Io didn't know Colbert. She tilted her head in confusion.
「Oh, sorry. My bad. I know your soup is famous in Bulbora, so I know you, but it seems you don't know me. Of course, I buy your soup every year!」
「Eh? Uh, thank you?」
I see. If Colbert, who loves cooking and respects chefs, is naturally speaking politely, it makes sense. He seems to have a one-sided admiration.
「Oh, I'm Colbert, a Rank B adventurer.」
「Whaat? R-Rank B?」
Io-san exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Colbert's self-introduction, sounding like a scream even.
While our senses might have been dulled, for regular people, a Rank B adventurer was a significant figure. It might not be at the level of heroes or nobility, but they were undoubtedly considered a much higher status.
It wasn't unreasonable for her to be surprised when someone suddenly introduced themselves as such.
「Ah, but... well, Fran over there is also a Rank B adventurer, you know?」
「Ehh?」
Io-san looked at Fran and let out another startled scream.
Come to think of it, did Fran ever mention her rank before? Maybe she deliberately didn't mention it.
「F-Fran-san?」
「Mm. That's right.」
「Woow!」
When Fran nodded, Io-san let out the most astonished voice of the day.
「Because, before... huh?」
「Don't worry about it.」
「Th-that's not...」
Io-san, sandwiched between two Rank B adventurers, was in disarray. It seemed like a tough situation for her. She looked completely bewildered.
「I actually think you're amazing, you know? Skilled chefs should be even more respected.」
「Eh? No, not at all...」
Io-san felt embarrassed and grateful for Colbert's sincere compliment. She was probably overwhelmed by being treated with such respect by a Rank B adventurer, and she looked completely flustered.
「No, no, I should be—」
「No, no—」
They were both bowing to each other.
『If we keep going like this, the conversation won't progress.』
「Mm. Hey, Colbert, why did you come here? Just to see our faces?」
「No, I thought I'd lend a hand this time too. How about it? Anything you need me to do?」
While saying that, there was an expectant look on his face. I recognized that expression. It was the same expression Fran had when she wanted curry. Well, it didn't even compare in terms of cuteness.
He was probably hoping for some free food. It was the same during the previous cooking contest.
「...You can help.」
「Really?」
「Mm. We needed someone for odd jobs.」
「That's great!」
Fran's assertive statement that Colbert's motives weren't about money was probably because she understood it. But in normal circumstances, it should have been the other way around.
「Eh? Wha?」
Io-san was once again in confusion. Well, it was definitely strange from any perspective.
Hiring a Rank B adventurer like Colbert for odd jobs was something that wouldn't even cross one's mind. It could be considered an extravagant use of high-ranking adventurers.
However, Fran and Colbert's reverse conversation continued.
「The reward will be three meals a day.」
「Deal! Please!」
「Mm. I'll prepare a new dish.」
「Really?」
「So, work hard.」
「Yeah!」
「Huh, huh?!」
Except for the absurdity of their culinary skills, Io-san, who was otherwise a sensible person, could only say "huh?"
「Are you okay?」
「Yes, yes...」
「If you're tired, you can take a break.」
「Understood. I-I'll take a short break then.」
Io-san left the kitchen with unsteady steps. She must have been exhausted from all the surprises.
After seeing Io-san off, Fran opened her mouth again.
「I have something else I want to ask.」
「What is it? You can ask me anything!」
「I want you to tell me about Dimitris.」
When Fran mentioned her Master's name, Colbert's demeanor stiffened slightly.
「Are you interested?」
「It's part of a request. I need to meet Dimitris.」
「I see. So, you want to know his whereabouts? If you want to meet him for sure, I think it's Ulmutt.」
Colbert explained that Dimitris, a Rank S adventurer, was invited as a guest to the Ulmutt martial arts tournament every year. However, he couldn't come to Ulmutt last year due to some business and was replaced by the Beast King, who was invited as the guest of honor. It happened to coincide with a period when he had plans to visit the Kranzel Kingdom as part of diplomacy.
「I think lending magical items for the tournament's organization was probably a way for Beast King to compete with Dimitris, politically, or to save face.」
「Are they on bad terms?」
「No, not really. It's just that he was invited as a substitute, and he probably thought he couldn't show up empty-handed. After all, that man is both an adventurer and a king.」
Politically, he may have felt the need to compete with Dimitris, another Rank S adventurer, and as a result, he provided the magical item, the 'Cradle of Time,' which was used in the quarterfinals. Well, he seemed to be someone who liked flashy things, and maintaining one's reputation as royalty was important.
「I know he's coming to Ulmutt.」
「So, what do you want to know?」
「His likes and dislikes.」
「Ah, I see.」
「And his personality.」
Fran wanted to gather useful information and ensure that she didn't make any mistakes when she contacted Dimitris. She didn't want to anger a Rank S adventurer, and she also needed valuable information to fulfill her request.
「Alright then... If I were to describe Master briefly...」
「If you were to describe him?」
「Strict, ruthless, and eccentric. Something along those lines.」
At the very least, it didn't sound like he was easy to approach.
Fran seemed to be having trouble forming an image. She was twisting her face in thought.
「Is he a bad person?」
「Hahaha! He's intimidating, but he's not a villain. He's tough on his disciples, but he's worshipped like a hero by the common folk.」
「Huh?」
Fran still seemed unsure. She tilted her head with a perplexed expression.
「It's like, he's tough on people who make a living through fighting. He probably sets his own standards. He'd say things like, 'Can't even handle something at that level? Are you going to die? If you're really on the brink of death, you wouldn't be able to talk!' That kind of stuff, he said it to me multiple times.」
Wow, that sounded tough. It was like something out of a military film. However, if that was all, he wouldn't be admired by many disciples.
Colbert had a wry smile on his face, but there was a sense of respect for Dimitris in his words. Even after being expelled, it seemed his respect for his Master hadn't changed.
「But if someone's in trouble, he won't abandon them, and he won't take money from the poor. He says it's for training, but he helped my village in the same way.」
So, he wandered the Jilbard continent while helping people in need for free? That would certainly make him a hero in many people's eyes.
But was that really not a problem?
For example, adventurers. Dimitris is technically a Rank S adventurer. In other words, he's at the pinnacle among adventurers worldwide.
If someone like him were to help people for free, wouldn't it put other adventurers in a difficult position?
Let's say a village that was once helped by Dimitris hired a Rank D adventurer next. At that point, would they be satisfied? They'd have to pay tens of thousands of gold to an adventurer much weaker and less skilled than Dimitris. It might be a fair reward, but it wouldn't be surprising if complaints arose.
And wouldn't it also affect the reputation of knights and soldiers?
「Is that okay?」
「What do you mean?」
「If there's no reward, other adventurers might suffer.」
「Ah, I see.」
Before I could say anything, Fran voiced her concern. In Fran's case, she considered rewards to be a fair form of compensation.
However, Fran could also understand the act of helping someone you like for free. In places like the Black Cat Tribe village, she had been quite generous, providing large feasts, but she didn't expect anything in return. Therefore, this situation had caught her attention.
「As for Dimitris Master, well... Originally, he became an adventurer because it was convenient for his training. And when he reached Rank A, it seems he wanted to quit being an adventurer easily.」
「Why?」
「It seems it became too troublesome. Nobles trying to recruit him, interference from the guild. Plus, there was the issue of fees for requests. For Master, being affiliated with the guild must have felt like a hindrance. But the guild managed to persuade him to stay.」
Well, if a Rank A adventurer suddenly wanted to quit, anyone would try to convince them to stay.
At that time, Dimitris apparently presented three conditions to remain an adventurer.
When taking on spontaneous requests, he would have the right to set the reward. The Adventurer's Guild would cooperate with Dimitris's disciples' training. Unlimited access to the Abyssal Frontier.
He was clearly pushing their limits. It was obvious that the intention was to get them to refuse. And if they did accept, it would be considered lucky.
And the Adventurer's Guild accepted all of these conditions. Dimitris had been rumored to eventually rise to Rank S from early on, so they seemed to want to do whatever it took to keep him in the guild.
Initially, there were various issues, but nowadays, that story is famous in the southern small nations where Dimitris operates, and major problems no longer seem to arise.
「He said he had been told various things by other adventurers, but that man is stubborn. And quite extreme. It seems he shut them up with his fists.」
So, now he's stubborn and extreme.
While I didn't think he was a bad person, I just couldn't form a positive image of him.
「How can we get along with him? What are his favorite foods?」
「I don't know what his favorite foods are... His daily life is like training, so he values nutrition over taste. He eats stuff like herbal salads, medicinal baths, things like that. Honestly, the reason I got interested in cooking was because I got fed up with such tasteless meals.」
「So, it's impossible to get along with him over delicious food?」
「Probably. Well, if there were dishes that were both nutritious and could make you stronger when you ate them, that might be a different story.」
「Hmm.」
A dish that makes you stronger when you eat it? Nah, if there was such a thing, I'd be feeding it to Fran. But well, offering food that's nutritionally balanced and tastes good might not be a bad idea. Though my expectations are low.
「So, what are his hobbies?」
「Training. Well, Dimitris Master would never approve, but... Training is life, and life is training. He's always saying things like that. I can't imagine he has interests in anything else. If there were anything, it might be battles with strong opponents? Even if he calls it part of his training, it's still part of his training.」
He's the type who's only interested in self-improvement. This could be tricky. Colbert might get angry, but right now, my image of him is more like Eiworth, someone with a compassionate heart.
「Challenging him to a mock battle might be one option?」
「Really?」
「Yeah. These days, he's been having trouble finding opponents for mock battles. He'd gladly accept, I'm sure. Of course, if you're too weak, he'll ignore you, but Fran should be fine.」
「I see.」
「But be warned, the opponent is one of the strongest humans. Prepare yourself. Half-dead would be a good outcome.」
「Hehe, that's what I'm hoping for.」
Oh no, Fran's Berserker switch has been activated! She's got that combat-crazy smile on her face.
There's no way to stop her now. After all, it's a mock battle against a Rank S adventurer. To Fran, it's like having a platinum ticket.
Still, I need to drive home a point.
『Fran, don't push yourself too hard, okay?』
（Mm, I know.）
She looks like she doesn't understand at all! This is bad!
Could it be that Dimitris is secretly a doting grandparent type and would become all lovey-dovey when he meets someone around Fran's age?
『Well, let's focus on the food stalls right in front of us for now.』
（Mm.）
From there, it was a whirlwind of days.
We prepared ingredients, tried out prototypes, and placed orders for containers and such. After finishing all that in a few days, we simply kept selling curry.
It was surprisingly popular, with lines that never seemed to end every day.
The signboard of being the original curry. Word of mouth from last year's success. The adventurer's grapevine. The Cooking Guild's extensive promotion. Merchant networks. Io's popularity.
All of these factors combined, and it seems that we attracted far more customers than the Cooking Guild had anticipated. The guild staff responsible for the stall's back-end operations had been quite flustered at one point. The queue was so long that they quickly increased the number of servers and cash registers.
Fran had been wearing a complex expression the whole time. She was delighted that the curry was so popular, but it seemed sad to her to see it disappearing right before her eyes. However, she seemed to have let go of that feeling somewhere along the way and started enjoying serving customers. Well, I think only Urushi and I could tell that Fran, who usually had a stoic expression, was having fun.
And now, it was the final day of the cooking contest.
「Here you go! Original Curry Soup right here!」
「Curry Soup with plenty of meat! One serving for 200 gold!」
「It's delicious!」
A massive line had formed in front of the Blacktail Pavilion's stall.
It was the busiest it had been in the past few days. There were probably over 300 people waiting in line. Since today was the last day, repeat customers had flooded in all at once.
『Even at this price, it's selling well.』
（Because it's delicious!）
A cup of soup for 200 gold was quite a bold price. It was the cost of one night at a cheap inn. Considering that Io's soup was usually 10 gold, this was twenty times the price.
However, even with this price, the profit margin was thin. After all, I had gathered all the desired spices and ingredients through the Cooking Guild. Just the production of the prototypes had cost a significant amount.
Magical vegetables and brand ingredients, rare spices that I had only read about in books—using all of these resulted in a price of 200 gold per cup.
The meat, on the other hand, was practically free since I used what we had prepared here. If I had purchased beast meat as well, it would have easily exceeded 300 gold.
Nevertheless, I had hoped that it would sell reasonably well, but it turned out to be even more popular than I had imagined.
「The line just won't end...」
「It's tougher than last time.」
「Ugh, I've been deceived by the Black Lightning Princess.」
Don't say such unpleasant things, Lydia! It was you guys who practically jumped at the offer when I said I'd provide meals!
The three crimson girls who had helped out as servers last time were also quickly summoned. Or rather, they had come to buy as customers in the beginning, so I hired them as servers on the spot.
I hadn't told any lies or forced them to become servers. I just didn't mention that meals would be provided after work. I mean, why should I give meals to people who haven't even started working yet?
By the way, what we were offering at our stall this time was a curry soup with hearty vegetables and chunks of meat. It was served in sturdy paper cups with bread on top, acting as a makeshift lid.
In terms of imagination, you could think of it as a slightly larger round bread roll, cut into halves, and firmly pressed down on top of the cup to serve as a lid.
With this setup, the curry wouldn't spill, and we could also sell bread with it.
The spiciness levels were the same as before: normal, extra spicy, and dragon-level spicy. They were all approved by Fran and Urushi, a superb curry soup.
But the spiciest, the dragon-level spicy, was mostly for adventurers. Similar to last year, there was a rumor going around that if you couldn't handle this level of spiciness, you should be ashamed to call yourself an adventurer. This year, I initially thought Colbert was behind it again, but there were no such rumors this time. It seemed that adventurers who had suffered from eating dragon-level spicy last year had started spreading the rumor themselves.
I hope this doesn't become a tradition in Bulbora or something.
Adventurers who can't handle spicy food, I apologize.
According to Fran, who had practically conquered all the stalls over the past few days, there were only a few curry dishes that seemed like rivals. The only one on par with ours was the Curry Dragon Feast Soup served by Felmus.
If Fran says it's on par, then it probably is. Well done, Felmus. Apparently, they've already mastered the art of spice blending.
Or rather, isn't this essentially my loss? We have no restrictions, and we're the original. In contrast, Felmus is pursuing profits as a stall while producing a soup that's on par with mine in just one year.
Argh! Well done, Felmus! For Fran's sake, I need to keep improving!
As I pondered, Fran's presence suddenly wavered. It wasn't a complete disturbance, but rather a slight surprise, and perhaps a hint of battle readiness?
A minuscule shift in her center of gravity. Her arm inched slightly closer to her blade's hilt, and her eyes narrowed. It seemed her body had involuntarily shifted into a combat-ready posture.
But that wasn't entirely unexpected.
「Heh, so this is curry, huh? It does smell good. What do you think, sis?」
「Yeah, it looks delicious.」
The duo who were now receiving their curry had caught Fran's attention, especially the red-haired woman who exuded a threatening aura. If they had crossed paths on the street, it might have felt like they were being challenged to a fight. That's how aggressively charged their presence was.
The three adventurers who had been helping as servers had completely shrunk back.
The woman was sizing up the three crimson girls as if appraising them. Her gaze shifted from Lydia, Maia, and Judith, but she quickly lost interest in them.
Next, she focused her gaze on Fran.
「…」
「…」
Wow, what's with this woman? For a moment, it reminded me of when I first met the Beast King. Her intimidating presence was that fierce. It could even be described as ferocious.
Her eyes emitted an oppressive air without her needing to do anything, and her mouth twisted with a sarcastic grin, resembling that of a wild beast.
And her inner strength was likely substantial as well. All of this reminded me of the Beast King.
If we were talking about a ferocious and menacing atmosphere, it brought to mind Mea. But she was a woman too.
However, the fact that I unconsciously thought of the Beast King meant that I felt a significant level of danger from this woman.
Fran stared back at the woman.
「…」
「…」
They weren't directly confronting each other with their intimidating auras. However, the subtle atmosphere of mutual appraisal between the two was enough to be highly intimidating to ordinary people.
Their gaze met for just an instant.
Yet, a strange commotion erupted.
People were hurrying employees for reasons they couldn't understand, others suddenly felt a chill and let out a cry. The reasons varied, but it seemed everyone couldn't help but make some kind of noise.
There were almost no people who understood what had happened, but their instincts seemed to grasp that the situation was dangerous.
Among the few who understood the situation were the adventurers, but they were the opposite. Faced with Fran and the woman's strength, they could only fall silent. However, the anomaly lasted for only a few seconds.
「…Thank you.」
「Nn.」
The woman took the curry and simply walked away from the stall. Fran also turned away from her.
In the first place, if the two had seriously engaged in a battle of intimidation, it would have caused a huge panic.
『...Who was that woman? An adventurer?』
（She's strong.）
『Yeah.』
I should ask someone later for information about that woman. She was undoubtedly a famous adventurer.
Although things got a bit strange for a moment, there were no major issues afterward, and we managed to sell all the curry without any problems.
Perhaps it was because they had eaten their meals during their shifts, but the latter half saw the three crimson girls regain their composure.
「You did well.」
「Man, it was so busy!」
「I'm completely exhausted.」
We consoled each other, then headed back to the Cooking Guild.
It was time to attend the guild-sponsored stand-up party.
Though it was called a party, it was more of a friendly gathering organized by chefs and merchants. There were a few nobles here and there, but they were chatting amicably with the chefs. It seemed that only individuals of that sort would attend such an informal event.
Despite having just eaten their meals, Fran and the others were still devouring a substantial amount of food. In front of Fran, Colbert, Lydia, Maia, and Judith, multiple plates were piled high with dishes.
Renowned chefs had prepared the food, and it was all said to be exquisite.
I had also contributed a dish because Fran had requested it. It seemed to have sold out already, but it was a fish dish seasoned with curry powder. I had aimed for a Fish Curry-style flavor.
Although meat curry was currently the mainstream, I hoped they'd appreciate seafood curry as well.
In fact, many chefs were engaged in lively discussions about my dish.
The next time we come here, I think we'll find some new seafood curry dishes.
「Fran-san, it's been a while.」
「Felmus.」
「Your dish this time was as impressive as always.」
「Same for you. It was really tasty.」
Felmus from Dragon's Edge Eatery approached and greeted us. He still looked youthful.
Despite the significant age difference, to Fran, he was an experienced and strong fellow chef who could create delicious dishes. Their conversation flowed naturally.
It's quite impressive how Felmus can engage in enjoyable conversation even with the usually reticent Fran.
「Felmus-san, congratulations on your victory.」
「Oh no, it's all thanks to this new curry dish.」
Colbert joined the conversation, steering it towards today's food stalls.
「I was approached by the nobles, but are you planning to become a court chef?」
「Hahaha! I don't have any such plans for now. I enjoy having many people taste my food, and it's pretty obvious that I'd be given tasks other than cooking.」
「I see. If you were to employ Felmus-san, I'm sure you'd want him to contribute in the field of combat as well.」
Many of the chefs participating in this contest seemed to dream of winning and becoming the personal chefs of nobles, but Felmus had apparently declined all such offers.
Certainly, it would be natural for people to want to put Felmus to work in areas other than cooking given his background as a former Rank A adventurer with expertise in scouting and other skills.
However, it seemed that Felmus was adamant about sticking to his identity as an everyday chef in the city.
In Felmus's case, honor and wealth probably didn't matter much anymore.
「By the way, there was a rather formidable woman there. How did things go on your end?」
「The red-haired woman.」
「Yes, exactly. She emitted a powerful presence that made me not want to fight for a while, maybe even more so than when I first met Fran-san.」
「She was strong.」
「No doubt.」
With Fran and Felmus in such agreement, there was no room for doubt.
「I happened to be on a break at the time, so I didn't see the woman.」
「The tall woman with crimson Zanbara hair. Her casual attire was so conspicuous that it drew attention in an unusual way. She had reddish-brown eyes and was glaring at us as if sizing us up.」
Felmus, you're amazing. You remember all those details so accurately. We only noticed her strength and red hair.
「Rather than wild, it might be more fitting to call her yakuza-like. She's the type who tames her inherent ferocity with instinct and intellect.」
That might be true. Her demeanor was undoubtedly intentional.
She didn't get excited and confrontational upon seeing a strong opponent but deliberately emitted an intimidating aura from the start, probably to gauge our reactions. I don't know the reason, but she might have been assessing Fran's skills.
There was a scent of a battle enthusiast, or maybe she just wanted to know Fran's abilities. Still, the way she quickly backed down in the end sets her apart from a regular battle enthusiast.
「The man who was with her was also quite something.」
「...He was there?」
Well, at that moment, Fran was focused on the women. Besides, compared to the red-haired woman, he wasn't particularly conspicuous.
「Yes. He was a tall, muscular man with slicked-back blond hair, about a head taller than the women. He had well-defined muscles. His clothes were slightly baggy, but he was undoubtedly built like a warrior.」
「I see.」
「Would you call it a smirk? He had a perpetual half-smile on his face. He seemed like the type who would be popular with women at night.」
「Was he strong?」
「To some extent, yes, though not as much as the woman. But judging from the fact that he didn't change his attitude at all even when bathed in the aura the woman emitted from up close, he seems to have a fair amount of courage. If it came to combat, he'd be a formidable opponent.」
「I see.」
Fran seemed to have developed an interest in the man after hearing Felmus's assessment. She crossed her arms and started to ponder, trying to recall the man.
However, she couldn't remember.
Remember, there are people you've conversed with several times that you forget? I hate to say it, but I don't think she'll be able to remember.
（Do you remember, Master?）
『Yeah. I can recognize his face, so I'll tell you the next time we meet.』
（Okay.）
Still, it seemed that neither Felmus nor Colbert knew anything about that woman's background.
「Colbert, do you have any idea?」
「Ah, you see, I didn't actually see her. But she probably has quite a distinctive appearance, right? I don't have any leads on adventurers who match that description.」
If Colbert doesn't know, then it's unlikely she's an adventurer from Bulbora.
「She's probably not a local adventurer either. She seemed quite capable. There's no way she wouldn't be the subject of rumors.」
「I see.」
「Well, given the season and all, she might be an adventurer from abroad. The route from Bulbora to Ulmutt is a golden route for people coming from outside the country.」
Tourists heading to Bulbora might also want to watch the famous Ulmutt martial arts tournament. Conversely, participants in the martial arts tournament might visit Bulbora while they're in Kranzel.
「It's not uncommon for adventurers from abroad to interact with well-known adventurers.」
「Is that so?」
「Yeah, it is.」
Well, adventurers are adventurers, and there are plenty of wild ones among them.
「There was even someone like me, a no-name adventurer from abroad, who came to greet you.」
「Oh? Could it be that even Colbert the Ironclaw is starting to get famous?」
「Huh? Is that so?」
「What kind of person came to greet you?」
「She was quite unassuming. She kept her presence restrained, but she's definitely a fellow professional.」
Apparently, despite being Colbert, she gave off an inconspicuous impression, to the point where someone might mistake her for an ordinary person. However, her movements revealed that she was no amateur.
「She's definitely in some scouting profession. If we had to fight, she seemed pretty strong.」
「Is that so?」
「Well, whether I'm becoming famous or not, the fact that someone is paying attention to me—」
「It's only natural for people to come to evaluate me and Fran-san, considering we were the winners last time.」
「Yeah, that's true.」
So, that woman must be a participant in the martial arts tournament? A formidable opponent has appeared.
（Exciting.）
Fran's battle enthusiast switch has been flipped again! With the martial arts tournament approaching, she's probably more eager than usual.
**Side - A Certain Group of Three**
「Come on! Sibylla-sama! I asked you not to cause such a commotion!」
「Well, I didn't expect it to get that noisy.」
「This place is different from our country! It's a peaceful and naive country where some people have never even seen a monster, let alone fought one!」
「Huh? Is that true?」
「It is true. Unlike in our country, they haven't received anti-magic training here. So, if Sibylla-sama exudes an intimidating presence—」
「No, no, I didn't exude any intimidation! Seriously, I didn't. Right, Biscot?」
「Yeah, we just had a bit of a staring contest with the stall owner.」
「...Then why did it turn out like that, while I looked away for just a moment...」
「Come to think of it, you mentioned something about checking something, right? What were you doing?」
「Well, I attempted a brief contact because I heard that a famous adventurer was having a meal.」
「Oh? What kind of person was it?」
「It's Colbert, a Rank B adventurer from Ironclaw. We greeted each other and had a brief conversation.」
「So, what's your impression of her?」
「Well... she's very sociable and sincere. She seems like a likable person to work with for requests.」
「Aren't adventurers supposed to be greedy, lacking in integrity, cowardly, foolish, and weak? Wasn't that it?」
「No matter how many times I hear it, it's terrible propaganda. If that were the case, why is the Kingdom of Kranzel, which has so many adventurers, flourishing to this extent? I'd like to show these foolish upper-class people who can't distinguish between fantasy and reality what this city is like.」
「Is that so?」
「The size of the market and the variety of goods they handle here surpass even our capital. The food from these stalls is comparable to the noble cuisine of our country. It seems that the contributions of adventurers are significant. I want to tell those idiots who dismiss adventurers they've never seen to open their eyes to reality.」
「But in reality, they've never seen real adventurers. Since it's the country saying it, can you blame them for believing it?」
「Exactly. Biscot said something unusually sharp!.」
「Unusually...」
「The problem is that not only the citizens of the southern region but also knights and soldiers are increasingly buying into the propaganda.」
「Our country is the one that's superior and excellent, worthy of ruling the continent. They say that other inferior countries, relying on barbaric fools like adventurers, should follow our lead? Hahaha, wasn't it the Southern Expedition Lord who started saying that? A bunch of losers who can't win.」
「However, when you've been taught that since birth, it's even hard to doubt it. The propaganda that was raised about twenty years ago to gather soldiers has now spread throughout the entire southern region.」
「It's because of that, the trend of looking down on Kranzel has accelerated, and the Southern Expedition Lord can't control the military anymore... But it's his own doing. Well, even that might be according to the pig's plan.」
「But if the Southern Expedition Lord starts a war like this, we don't know how much damage our country will suffer. That's why we need to assess the strength of the adventurers during this inspection.」
「But you know, worst case scenario, if we step in—」
「Biscot!」
「Y-Yes.」
「Let's recite our principles.」
「Right! The Crimson Sword shall be wielded only to protect the people! Neither invaded nor invaders! What we crush are demons and evildoers!」
「That's right. Our job is to protect the people from monsters and bandits. We won't get involved in trivial matters like invasion. Of course, unless Kranzel or Belioth decides to invade. Don't get that part wrong.」
「Yes. My apologies.」
「An exception is the dispatch to Gordicia.」
「But it seems the movements of the Sixth—Carmine Flame Knight Order are a bit suspicious. It seems there's a possibility they're cooperating with the Southern Expedition Lord.」
「Ugh! Those guys! We defeated them once, and they still haven't learned their lesson?」
「The captain of the order was taken down by Sibylla-sama and then replaced. That's what they say about 'repeating the same mistakes.'」
「Well, they're still not that accomplished, and besides, the southern region is the main battlefield. They might not be able to refuse the Southern Expedition Lord's request.」
「What's the use of the Crimson Knights being manipulated by the personal desires of those in power? It's deplorable.」
「The Carmine Flame Knight Order has suffered a significant blow from that necromancer. They seem to have a strong desire to redeem their honor.」
「Aside from us, the others should be fine, right? Depending on the situation, we might need to tighten the reins on each knight order.」
「Cardinal Flag and Vermilion Eye should be fine. Crimson Rain recently underwent a change in leadership, but they seem stable. Blood Maiden Knight Order remains unchanged and doesn't seem to have any intentions of going abroad.」
「So, it's just those brats from the Carmine Flame causing trouble. Well, if it comes to it, we can crush them.」
「Yes, indeed. Their captain is weaker compared to Sibylla-sama.」
「It's lamentable. The previous captain had a rotten personality, but he was top-notch in combat.」
「There won't be many who meet Sibylla-sama's standards.」
「In that sense, I have high hopes for this journey... What about the adventurer you made contact with, did they seem skilled to you?」
「Even from my perspective, they seemed quite skilled. I can't say for sure if we'd win.」
「What? Coming from Klikka, that's what you think?」
「Yes, that's right. Biscot might have a chance of winning, but it won't be a walk in the park.」
「Oh? That's quite something. So, they're still Rank B, huh?」
「Yes. I haven't had direct contact yet, but above that, there are Rank A and Rank S.」
「They say Kranzel has plenty of Rank A and even former Rank A adventurers... Oh right, what about that beastkin girl from the food stall? How is she?」
「She seemed to be having a lot of fun. I never expected the daughter of a food stall vendor to be that strong. Honestly, it would have been better if her expression didn't look so strained.」
「Haha, she was quite the catch. I'd love to have a match with her.」
「Is Sibylla-sama that interested?」
「Oh yes! It would definitely be more fun than those brats from the Carmine Flame. No doubt about it. She's a Rank A adventurer, right?」
「I see, I can agree with that. I've heard that adventurers value strength. She's one of the few I've met in this country who seems stronger than me.」
「Yeah, yeah. What about you, Klikka?」
「...Unfortunately, it's not her. She was at that food stall, a young beastkin girl. It's undoubtedly the adventurer known as the Black Lightning Princess. She's indeed strong but still Rank B.」
「...That strong and still B-ranked?」
「From what I heard from Sibylla-sama and Biscot, she's probably much stronger than the man named Colbert. However, she's still in the B rank.」
「Well, that's surprising... Ah! What about that old man who was there too? How about him?」
「Oh, you mean the soup stall owner. He seemed incredibly strong too. In terms of sheer power, he's up there with the Black Lightning Princess. But in terms of creepiness, he outshines the soup stall owner.」
「A soup stall... Wasn't it called Ryuzen-ya?」
「Yeah, yeah! That's the name! Hey, sis?」
「Whether it's true or not, there were stories about him using dragons.」
「So, that would be Felmus, the Dragon Slayer, who is the owner of that stall. He's a former Rank A adventurer.」
「That old man is a former Rank A?」
「Yes.」
「So, what you're saying is if he's still active as a Rank A, he might be stronger than the Black Lightning Princess and the Dragon Slayer? Seriously?」
「Haha! Now I'm even more looking forward to meeting Rank A adventurers!」
「Oh, I'm getting a little scared. Instead of an inferior country, this place seems like a realm of monsters...」
「Please! Please, whatever you do, don't cause any trouble!」
「We understand, we understand!」
「...Sigh. Will we be able to return to our country safely?」
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